Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-08-05
RAMBLEs ABOUT EUROPE.
From England to Egypt Especially for
the Eagle.

the Eagle.
NO. XIV
We travelled via the Harwich route from
London to Antwerp, arriving in the latter
city after passage by water of eleven
hours duration. Antwerp is grand old
city on the rives Scheldt, of two hundred
and thirty thousand people. The tide here
rises to the height of six or eight feet, pos
sibly more, and the river here like the
Clyde admits large ocean stermers, one
line, the Red Star, plying back and forth
between here and New York. This was
the first time We had set foot on foreign
shore where the language spoken was not
our own. Realizing the fact that It is q
matter OF great inconvenience to travel In
countries where the English tongue is not
spoken nor understood, we joined Cook
excursion party at London numbering
about twenty persons, all Americans,
under the guidance of thoroughly COM
petent and trustworthy courier, and SO far
are delighted with the arrangement. We
have only to obey orders and every detail
consistent with comfort and the
best methods of sight seeing are
carefully provided without a moments
thought by us. Our companions, a ma
| jority of whom are ladies, hail from the
eastern or middle states, except three from
far off California, and the delegation of
three from Kansas. We travel together
until September 9Th. Of course ON first
landing amongst strange people in a
foreign land, attention is drawn to the in
habitants; their manners and customs are
scrutinized, and the novelty of dress worn
by them is as much an object of interest as
the works of high art, or the wonders of
nature which mainly serves to decoy one
abroad
The wooden clogs of the peasants impress
us by their uncomliness and apparent unfit
ness in the line of utility and comfort The
milk, huckster and bread carts drawn by
dogs (often single dog would be novel
sight even in benighted Lapland, bu. here
in the abiding place of luxury and art, in
one of natures own garden spots, where
the lowest order of beasts of burden would
presumably be the donkey or OK, an ami
NAL condemned by the old Jewish law,
upon whom a money value was coupled
with the Illicit wages of harlot has had
the nobility of labor" thrust upon him,
and instead of being the worthless cur and
vagabond, like the majority of bis species,
here in Belgium he is a bread win |
ner emphatically, and deserves to have
the course" pronounced On his race
countermanded. The women are beasts of |
burden too, to certain extent, and l give
of Antwerp. saw woman, child and
dog drawing heavy laden cart together.
have seen bare headed women performing
the mental task of sweeping the streets and
in all the harvest fields cutting the long
stocks of rye with hook and sickle, bind
ing them in sheafs and standing them in
shocks. This class of course is confined to
the peasantry. Advance step higher in
social life and you find them occupying po-
sitions more after the English style-wom-
en- at the bars and in all the stores and en-
ployed in vast numbers in the factories, es-
pecially in the manufacture of linen goods
and laces.
The history of Belgium is an eventful
one. 1t is the land of the Flamms or
Flemings, but is now so mixed up with
other nationalities by reason of subsection
to them, that it possesses at the present
time but few distinct characteristics. In
its day, it was subject to Holland, Spain,
Austria and France. In the cities the
French language is universally spoken.
French money is the circulating medium,
and French weights and measures only are
In use. The small coins are simply nui-
sance, so centimes being equal to only ten
cents of our money.
Antwerp is the second city In population
In the kingdom, is tolerabiy well fortified
and has handsome boulevards and
many fine buildings. The first
place of interest to which we were
conducted, was the cathedral commenced
In 1852 and completed in 1880 and is con-
sidered the most imposing church edifice
In all Belgium The majestic interior is
nearly 400 feet long and 100 feet high. The
spire is 400 feet high and Its chimes have
100 bells, lacking one. This grand cathe-
dral contains, amongst other things of great
curiosity, the acknowledged master pieces
Of Rubens, namely: The Elevation of
the Cross" The Descent from the Cross"
aud The Assumption" The two first
were removed by Napoleon lst to Paris, but
after Waterloo were restored by Wellington.
In these exquisite paintings, where the fig
ures are all life size, he has portrayed the
features of his father, mother sister, first
and second wife, himself. and in one of
them his pet dog. Their value is almost
beyond computation. Ruben lived in Ant
werp and died here, being buried in the
church of St. Jacques. Next to Michael
Angelo, he was probably the greatest
painter the world ever knew Van Dyck
aud Teniens, also great painters, lived here
and ali three, likewise King Leopold, have
have handsome statutes erecned TO their
memories in different parts of the city.
There are many quaint wood carvings,